Portfolio for FYS: Dystopia, Revolution & Leadership

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Bibliography

Annotated Bibliographies:

#1

“Armstrong, the Moon and Bittersweet Utopia.” Philosophirish. N.p.,26 Aug. 2012. Web.23 Sept. 2012. <http://philosophirish.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/armstrong- the-moon-and-bittersweet-utopia/>.
The article is about how the moon landing created a better and more united world because it gave everyone a common goal, to expand human expectations. The article states how the moon landing was watched by one-fifth of the world population, thus creating a similarity between a large part of the world. Following Armstrong’s death in August, the article says that “Neil Armstrong would be the first honorary citizen” of tomorrow’s world. Lastly, if the moon landing were to create a global utopia, Neil Armstrong would be the one to thank.
This article is going to be useful to me because the author tries to portray how the moon landing could’ve resulted in a worldwide utopia. When in fact I think the moon landing created great hostility and jealousy between parts of the world. I’m going to use this article to argue how the moon landing added tension to the Cold War.

This article is a comparison between a socialist run government and a capitalist run government. The article explains why capitalism is superior to socialism giving reasons visible in everyday life.
I plan to use this article in order to specify why capitalism is actually better than socialism by depicting the reasons and expanding them to its use Soviet Union. Also, how it is shown in the novel 1984, by taking scenes from the novel and showing why capitalism would be better for society in place of socialism.

#3

Life Magazine 25 July 1949. George Orwell Novels. Web. <http://georgeorwellnovels.com/books/george-orwell-statement-on-nineteen-eighty-four/>.
This article in Life Magazine was an interview with George Orwell following the publication of his novel 1984. When asked about how he feels if a society he describes in 1984 will appear in a modern day society, he honestly answers on how it could arrive, but not necessarily will arrive.
I plan to use the quote from this article in order to prove Orwell’s true commentary on the issue of totalitarianism government. I will use it to prove that Orwell was frightened by the idea of such a government existing society, and based on historical events of the time was unsure if such a thing could actually happen in reality.

R.J. Overy’s book describes how former totalitarian societies were able to dictate the views of their citizens by creating a model leader figure and perfect society. Known as the new man and new society, Stalin’s Soviet Russia was able to convince its citizens on the ideal man in their communist civilization. As well as create a mindset of the new society, which personified a utopian world.
I plan to use Overy’s information to compare how Soviet Russia was able to convince its citizens of what the government intended to that of Big Brother in 1984. Both societies aimed at convincing their citizens the way they should look, behave, and prepare for the brighter future and I plan to use that to show how totalitarianism as such hurts a society by eliminating individualism

This book is about how Soviet Russia used different types of propaganda in order to influence and control their citizens. During the Russian change in culture, Pipes explains, how Bolshevik Russia was formed from the civil war to the death of Lenin. Within the book it is explained how this transformation affected the people and how the government had to alter its methods.
I plan to use Pipes’ knowledge and information to specify how the government was able to monitor people by art and education. I plan to use these forms of propaganda because they were visible in everyday life as well as a strong influence on the children of theSoviet Union. By monitoring children since their youth, the government was capable of creating an obedient society from the new generation.

Pons’ book is about how Stalin took the ideals of Marx and Lenin and incorporated them into his ideal communist movement. His book gives good background information on the transformation of communism, its’ beginning and main ideas.
I plan to use Pons’ research and theories about Communism to argue that the topics of Leninism-Marxism that Stalin took are actually harmful to a society. That the ideals themselves place citizens in a hole where they can not break free from government seize.

In this article Orwell was previously quoted from a Life magazine and the “New York Times Book Review” stating that he does not wish to see a future such as the one he created in 1984 but he can see something similar to it happening. The article goes on to say how during the time period that many people felt that Orwell was a communist, or against capitalism when in fact he was a strong supporter.
I plan on using this article in my paper to help emphasize the fact that Orwell had a strong dislike towards totalitarian and communist rule. It is going to help my point by showing how Orwell came to the reason to write the novel the way he intended to based on his own political views.

This article is about how resistances act in different ways based off of Michael Facoult’s philosophies. Facoult is a philosopher and social theorist, who’s theories address what power is and how people use it.
This article is useful for me because I am trying to express how the different societies used power to try and overtake the government, as well as, how the governments used their power to control their citizens. I am going to relate it to the 1984 andUSSR governments control over their people, and theU.S. citizens power to fight against theirs. This article works well in my paper because it gives a good general idea of how power is supposed to be used and how it has been used in the past.

Final Paper: Comparative Research Paper Sources

Chapman, Siobhan. ““How Could You Tell How Much of It Was Lies?” The Controversy of Truth in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Academic Search Complete [EBSCO]. N.p.,1 Apr. 2009. Web. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=e78c05bc-f191-4972-927d-d6776047b982%40sessionmgr11&vid=13&hid=110>.